Online Journal of the Hudson Valley Coalition for Life.
"Every human being is called to solidarity in a world battling between life and death" - Ignacio Ellacuria, Jesuit martyr in El Salvador

January 09, 2018

More on Fr. Joseph Irwin - some beautiful tributes

Here is a story from almost thirty years ago which says it all about Father. Thanks to Laura for sending us this:

In 1988, Fr. Irwin held a “Joan Andrews’ Week” at his parish, St. Mary’s in Mount Vernon, NY. Joan had been in jail for rescuing unborn babies, having spent nearly five years in Florida’s Broward County Prison for a rescue she had done at a local abortion mill. When she was released from Florida, she was transferred to Pittsburgh on an outstanding warrant. Several of us went to Pittsburgh and witnessed her finally being released from custody after a brief trial there. The following weekend, Joan ended up in New York with an old Rescue friend who asked us to let her stay at our house; we were honored. I remember calling Father Irwin late that Saturday night, telling him that Joan was with us, and letting him know that we felt there was no better church to take Joan to on Sunday than his. I still see him at Mass that Sunday morning, getting up and thanking his parishioners for praying for her, telling them that she had just been released, and then that she was sitting there in the pew. People gasped and applauded and gave her a standing ovation. It was so moving. I remember that Father Irwin always had a blurb in his bulletin that read something like: “Let it never be said that the pulpit of St. Mary’s was silent during the abortion holocaust.” A dear, great man and priest. Make he be in heaven. RIP.

It was a blessing to know Father Irwin and work along side of him whenever I was able... It was during his time at Most Holy Trinity that my Faith began to grow in words that are sometimes hard to express...His teaching on the Presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist and of God's Love and Mercy is key to my entire life now... The time spent in front of Our Lord Present in the Monstrance every Friday was a saving grace in my life... His teaching on Our Lord, Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph became pivotal in my understanding of God... I can go on and on ... The babies helped in the womb to the countless lives he touched are all changed because of Father Irwin's sharing God's awesome and profound Love and Mercy !!!

Posted by: Peter Lepre

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He was a good and conscientious priest, the kind you read about in books. He was my jail buddy at Westchester Penitentiary. His rectory was always open to his parishioners for coffee and confession. He was quiet, very observant, and quick. He had authority because he was faith-filled! May he see the Lord RIP.

Posted by: Edmund P. Riely Jr.

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We buried him in a blizzard out of Saint Augustine's in Larchmont. The Cardinal and twenty fellow priests were at his Requiem Mass, even in "white out" conditions. He died of his Parkinson's cared for by men, women, and children he saved from abortion, and by his loving family. Father Tom Madden gave the homily. His brother gave the eulogy. Regina Riely reinforced the choir from the pews. We miss him, he was a powerful force for goodness.